Maintenance and Repairs Impact Several RC Schools in Trinidad

It was a delayed start for some pupils of St Rose’s RC who returned to classes yesterday (Wednesday, September 6) at the north building of the St Rose’s Girls’ RC School, Henry Street, Port of Spain.

The Infants and Standard Five classes were back, and a temporary rotation started for the pupils in the Standard One and Infants Two classes. Arrangements have to be finalised for the other classes.

The school was closed for two weeks in February and a wing of the school vacated after signs of crumbling infrastructure was seen. Last term, some classes were relocated to Rosary Boys’ RC which is next door to St Rose’s.

This term, a rotation system will be implemented for Standard Two and Three’s in the library at Rosary and normal class hours for the Standard Four in the pan classroom. Desks were to be moved from St Rose’s to Rosary. Functional air-conditioning needs to be installed for the rooms utilised to be comfortable.

On Tuesday, September 5, a landslide prevented teachers from Caratal RC School from getting to the school. Following a virtual meeting on Wednesday, September 6 permission was sought and given from parish priest Fr Shijo Abraham Zacharias MSFS to use the church compound on Caratal Road for parking. It is almost three miles from the school, but the teachers agreed.

As an interim solution, two persons volunteered to shuttle teachers to the school at least two days of the week using “4×4 vehicles”. Teachers are eager to get safely back into the classroom with their pupils.

The Las Lomas RC is open, but a pigeon infestation has been flagged. Cleaners have reportedly been falling ill.

Vance River RC needs more furniture, drains need to be reconstructed, and raised floor tiles in classrooms secured. La Brea RC also requires more furniture.

At Siparia Boys’ RC, work is to commence in the evenings to fix the boys’ toilets. Some wooden areas are to receive termite treatment and parts of the wire fence replaced.

Our Lady of the Assumption, South Oropouche RC developed a sewer problem after classes resumed Monday, September 4. As a result, a decision was taken to have classes only for the Standard Three, Four and Five pupils until the sewer is fixed. The school’s administration will hold a discussion on the possibility of online classes for the Infants to Standard Two children.

The sewer is expected to be fixed following a visit by personnel from the Education Facilities Planning and Procurement Division of the Education Ministry and preparation of a scope of work by the National Maintenance Training and Security Company Ltd.

As a stopgap measure, the boys and male teachers will be using the toilet facilities at the parish hall adjoining the school.